


Apology in the Sandburg Zone

by alyjude_sideburns



Category: The Sentinel
Genre: Episode Related, Ficlet, First Time, M/M, Moonridge
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-02-21
Updated: 2014-02-21
Packaged: 2018-01-11 13:47:30
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 909
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1173793
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/alyjude_sideburns/pseuds/alyjude_sideburns
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A missing scene for TSBS - obligatory scene, natch, but when you're in the Zone...well, nothing is as it seems.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Apology in the Sandburg Zone

**Author's Note:**

> Written for the Moonridge charity auction.

  

 

 

Blair got the front door open and stepped aside for his partner. He could tell from the expression on Jim's face that his knee was bothering him, which meant he'd lost all control over his dials. With the forbearance of a saint, he helped Jim out of his jacket without seeming to do so, kept his mouth shut and simply watched as Jim limped over to the couch and sat down.

Once Jim looked somewhat settled, his leg propped up, Blair said, "You look like a beer might hit the spot."

Sighing, Jim nodded. "Yeah, I think I have exactly the right place for one - or three."

"Hang on minute." Blair quickly stepped into the kitchen and pulled two bottles from the fridge. After twisting off the caps and tossing them, he walked over to his partner and held it out.

Jim took it gratefully. "Thanks, Chief."

"No biggie."

Blair sat down at the other end of the couch and took a healthy swallow of his own beer. When done, he moved the bottle to his left hand so that he could look at his right.   The one that had, not so long ago, held a detective's badge.

"Chief, you okay?"

Jim's words brought him back to the here and now. Glancing up and smiling, he said, "Sure. How's the leg?"

"Better now." Jim looked down at the bottle he held, twirled it around and, finally, said, "You do know that I never really--"

"I know, man. I know. And you know that I'd give anything--"

"I know, Chief. I know."

"I don't think you do. You think I meant something like how I'd give anything to take back the last few days, how I maybe wished they'd been different or that Mom didn't know my passwords, or _Sid_ , or if I'd killed her when I was fifteen, full of raging hormones and trying to hide it every time I jerked off only to discover that she not only knew, but approved. Talk about embarrassing. Mothers are supposed to be shocked, you know? She really had no right being so understanding and even laughing and offering tips--"

"Sandburg, don't ever change. Just - don't change."

Blair grinned self-consciously, but then said, "Anyway, what I was going to say if you'd hadn't thought you knew what I was going to say just because we usually do, is that I'd give anything if you'd fuck me into next week and then allow me to do the same to you."

Jim, who was giving serious thought to subjecting himself to a zone, found himself staring at his partner, heart jack-hammering within his chest as he squeaked out, "What?!"

"You heard me."

Jim cocked his head to the right and regarded Blair somewhat suspiciously. "So you weren't going to apologize?"

"Me? Apologize? What the hell for?"

Jim rubbed at his forehead in frustration, the headache that often followed any kind of serious conversation with Blair slamming into him.  "Okay…I'm not really sure, but I'm pretty sure you should apologize since that's what I was doing."

Looking stunned, Blair said, "You were? When?"

"Just now, you idiot. When I said that you knew that I'd never really… you know."

"Oh. So that's what you were saying. I see."

"Well, what the hell did you think I was saying?"

"With you, it could have been anything, including the shared desire to fuck each other into next week. For God's sake, sure you have a pattern to your whole 'Jim/guy speak' but trust me, it'll take a hell of a lot longer than three measly years to figure it out."

"Chief," Jim whined, "come on, you know we both--"

"I know, Jim. I know. So do you want to--"

"Hell, yeah, I want to. Do you still want to?"

"Is my mother the buttinski of all buttinskis?"

Taking that as a 'yes', Jim asked, "So do you, maybe, want to do it… _now_? And yes, your mother is, but I can live with it if you're what I get for the effort."

"Yeah, now.  And trust me, I'm worth putting up with Naomi."

Jim's smile softened. "I know." He glanced down at his leg and said thoughtfully, "You might have to do all--"

"I know. Your leg."

"Yeah, that. You up for it?"

"Are you kidding?"

"Forgot who I was talking to for a minute."

"You seem to forget who you're talking to quite often, Jim."

They grinned at each other and, by silent but mutual consent, headed slowly for the stairs. They were almost there when Jim suddenly stopped and said, "Wait. You're still mad."

"Moi? Nah. Well, maybe."

"I knew it."

"No, you didn't. You thought I should apologize. But it's okay.  If you'll get that nice ass of yours moving, you could let me work off this negative energy by doing something positive, if you know what I mean. And I think you do."

"Sandburg, when you're right, you're oh, so right."

"Good thing for you that's most of the time." He slid his arm around Jim's waist, as much to give aid as to - well, just to do it, and said, "I love apologies, don't you?"

Jim leaned into Blair, let him support and help him, understood he'd been doing that all along, and said, "Yeah, this time, I do, Chief. Even if I don't know who was doing what to whom."

"As is so often the case with us."

finis


End file.
